BEIJING, June 13 (Xinhua) -- As talks on the Korean Peninsula have not come easily, China hopes relevant sides will seize this opportunity and maintain the momentum of dialogue and contact, a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said at a Thursday press briefing.

Spokeswoman Hua Chunying made the remarks when asked to comment on high-level inter-governmental talks between Seoul and Pyongyang that were canceled abruptly.

During working-level talks on Monday, the Republic of Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea agreed to hold their first high-level talks in six years. Those talks, scheduled to be held on Wednesday and Thursday in Seoul, were called off on Tuesday due to a disagreement over the level of chief delegates.

Relevant parties should make active efforts toward improving the Seoul-Pyongyang relationship and easing the situation on the peninsula, Hua said.